Alone
by LittleMissLOL9000
Summary: She was a very multi talented girl, yet she was afraid show her talents. Nothing ever changed...not until that fateful year.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I am so sorry that **_**Crime Scene**_** has been such a long wait. I'm not sure what to do with that story. Anyway, I know what this one is going to be about for sure! Hope you guys like it! I would like to tell you that it is based off of a true story that happened at my school. I don't know exactly what happened, but I heard a little bit about it and I'm just building some story around it. A lot of this story (to me) is based of the song **_**Alone**_** by HEART. You might want to listen to it before you read this to get a small glimpse as to what it might be about. HOPE YOU LIKE IT!**

Gabriella Montez was your typical teenage girl. She grew up in the small town of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She lived with her parents and her four siblings: Danielle (age 7), Chloe (age 12), Hunter (age 15) and Madison (age 18). Gabriella was 17, only a year younger than her sister Madison. Though she was a soon-to-be junior in high school, she had never sat in the driver's seat of a car before. Okay, maybe that's a bit too much of an exaggeration, perhaps she had when she was younger and she just couldn't remember it. She was not the best in her academics, yet would most likely be found reading, or writing in her free time. She would often read and write of romance and adventure. Gabriella was, what some people would call, a free spirit. She did almost everything according to her own choice; her parents had watched her grow into a beautiful young woman. Gabriella loved the ocean; did I mention that she was a surfer? It was one thing that many people didn't know about her. She would often go out and catch a few waves if she felt bored or out of place. If it were not for those reasons, she would go to think about life and her writings and watch the sunset in the distance. Gabriella was also a musician, a singer and a painter. I must say that she was a very multi talented young girl. At the age of 5 she started playing the violin, at the age of 9; she took hold of the clarinet and at the age of 16, had just started learning lessons of the guitar. Gabriella could sing anything from opera to hard-core rock. I had heard her a few times threw that walls. As you can imagine, the house was always full of music and art.

Though she possessed all of these wonderful talents and gifts, she refused to let the world see them. She would ponder as to what people would think of her if she let them see those particular talents. She wanted to be known for them, but she was a completely self conscious girl, both about her talents and her appearance.

I hardly ever saw my little sister. She was always cooped up in her room writing. She never wanted to come out, only on the occasion that she had to go to school, which was practically everyday, either that or for meals and surfing. It was always funny to people that she was such a loner, coming from a family of hooligans and craziness. At school she was always alone and at home she was the same. Nothing ever changed…

….not until that fateful year.

"MOM, Mom! Did you get that shirt I asked for?"

"Yes, sweetheart, I got it. Now, don't you tear it or anything, you've got to look nice today, Chloe."

"I know, mom." Chloe said with a roll of her dark brown eyes.

"MOM, MOM!"

"Yes, Danielle, what is it." She asked as Danielle came running down the stairs frantically, hold something behind her back.

"I have a problem."

"What is it? Are you hurt? What's wrong?"

Danielle pulled two dresses from behind her back. A blue, frilly dress and a pinkish purple straight dress, "Which one should I wear for the party tonight?"

Mom sighed of relief and cupped her daughters face, giving her a kiss on the cheek, "Stop doing that and I think you should wear the pink one."

"But I wanna wear the blue one," She put on her best "puppy dog face."

"Alright, you can wear the blue."

"But, you said to wear the pink one."

Mom waved her hand as if to say, 'either or,' "You pick, D."

Danielle went running up the stairs with a huge grin on her face, knowing which one she was going to pick. Mom put a hand on her head; she was obviously on the verge of a headache.

"MOM?"

"YES!" She sighed.

"Hunter was texting my bf again!" I screamed from upstairs.

"Maddie, just don't let him take your phone!" Mom yelled back, lifting her head up in the direction that the sound was coming from.

"Mom, you know he's sneaky. HEY! GIVE ME MY PHONE!"

There was thumping upstairs, Mom already knew that I was practically beating my little brother. There was a slamming of a door and the house was quiet, "What time does the party start again, Mom?"

"6 o'clock honey."

I ran back into my room, hoping to find something good to wear. Mom slumped down on the couch like a piece of jello.

"MOM!"

"What is it know, Chloe."

"Mom -" She stammered, apparently she didn't want to say it.

"Ask your father." Mom, point to the back door.

"No, but mom…"

"Ask you father," mom interrupted in a stern tone.

Chloe went up to whisper in her mother's ear, "It's happened."

That woke my mother up, "What's happened sweetie?"

"I started my period." Chloe replied shyly.

Mom's face was classic to watch, "Oh, honey I'm so happy. Um….go ask Gabi to help you and tell her to get her little brown butt down here."

Chloe giggled, she had never heard her mother you that term before. But, she still went upstairs and knocked on Gabriella's door. _Tap tap tap._

Only a faint answer cam, "What?"

"Gabi…?" Chloe walked into the room that she hardly ever saw

Gabriella was in her blue-white bikini, she was going to go surfing. How could she go surfing that this time of year? The water was freezing!

"You're going surfing."

"Yes, Chloe, now what did you want?"

"Um….my period started and I'm not sure what to do."

"Go ask mom," Gabriella replied in a rather annoyed, voice.

"She told me to ask you."

"Go ask Madison."

"Come on, Gabi! Can't you at least give me a pad or something?"

Gabriella stared at her sister for a moment, she knew that she had been rude and snooty the past couple of days, but she couldn't help it. For some reason, she just couldn't. She grabbed a pad from the back of the top drawer of her nightstand and tossed it over to Chloe, "Here. Do you know how to put that on?"

"No," She opened the small package, "it looked painful."

"Oh, please, Chloe, they're actually not that uncomfortable and they are the easiest things to put on." Gabriella grabbed a pair of her thongs off the floor and stepped in front on Chloe. "You pull you underwear down, and stick it on."

Chloe started to take off her pants right in front of her older sister.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

"You said to take off my pants…."

"No, no, no! Do it in the bathroom you lunatic!" With that, Chloe giggled a little bit, allowing a smile to form on Gabriella face and she starting walking to the bathroom, "Oh, mom what you to get your little brown butt downstairs."

Gabriella walked downstairs in her bikini, not really wanting to talk to her mother, but ready to go into the water. She'd been wanting to for so long.

"See ya, mom." She said as she walked past her mother.

Mom turned around. "Where are you…" she noticed what she was wearing and immediately stood up, "You are not going surfing, honey."

"C'mon, mom!"

"No! It's New Years Eve and I will not have my daughter all salty for the party tonight. Plus, the water in insanely cold! You could catch pneumonia!"

"Mom, please. I've been wanting to go all day."

"No, I'm sorry."

Yes, mom please!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"No."

"No." Mom pointed to Gabriella, "Don't you dare try to use that trick on me young lady. You've done it too many times."

"And all those times was for something important."

"What could possibly be important about freezing your butt off on New Years Eve?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"And, for that reason, you are NOT going in the water."

"Mom, please!"

"No, I will -"

"Daddy!"

Her dad had been in the backyard almost all day, "I'm will not get caught up in that argument!" Was the only answer that came from the yard.

"Dad, c'mon, not you too!"

"I'm not going to let you go into that water, same as your mother!"

"Daddy, you know how much I love it -"

"And I know how dangerous it can be to go out into that water at this time of year! NO!"

"But Dad…"

Mom was getting frustrated, "Gabriella Montez, go to your room!"

"Mom!"

"Go to your room!"

Gabriella took one look in her mother's eyes and saw the sternness in them. She hesitantly turned around and headed up the stairs. All that was heard throughout the house was the slam of a door. Little did her parents know that she hadn't actually gone into her room, she had only shut the door to make them think that she did.

"What happened to that sweet little girl we raised?" She heard her mother say.

"I don't know. She's been different lately.

Gabriella saw them both walk into the kitchen and with that, she stealthy walked down the stairs and carefully went out the front door.

**REVIEW! Tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, so here is the next chapter. Most of you liked the last one. I'm so glad!**

Gabriella knew that what she had just done was wrong, but she couldn't help it. Something had been eaten at her heart lately and she didn't know what it was. She didn't know if it had to do with family, friends, or even someone she had never met. She didn't want to scare anyone, she just wanted to like about it. That was the reason she had wanted to go surfing so badly.

She jumped right into the water. Sure it was cold, but she didn't care, she lived in Albuquerque, the water was always cold. She paddled out into the distance, seeing a wave up ahead. She caught it and loved every minute of it. She always used to tell me that riding a wave was like spreading butter on bread. In other words, it had always come easy to her.

_Why do I have this ill feeling inside of me? Why have I been so depressed lately? I feel like something's coming, something bad. Is it a friend, a family member, someone I've never met? Who the hell is it? What the hell is it? _

She stayed out in the ocean for a few more minutes. She never wanted to leave. She didn't want to go to that party; she didn't want to dress up. She had to force herself to paddle back to shore and come out of the water. She hadn't been paying attention when she got out. All she knew was that she had to get home and take a shower.

"You've got some real guts, chick."

Gabriella almost jumped out of her skin. She looked ahead of her, but she didn't see anyone. She looked around, trying to find any sign of life. She saw nothing.

"I've never seen a girl who can surf like that."

It was a boy. That much, she could tell. But where was he? Who was he? Or was her mind just playing tricks on her again?

"Who are you?" She replied into complete darkness. She was too scared to move one step in either direction. Suddenly, she saw some movement. Someone was walking towards her. But, she couldn't make out his face or appearance.

"What are you doing out here this late? Let alone in this weather."

He stepped out of the darkness. He had hair the color of the sand on the beach, he was rather large in his muscle size, but still couldn't quite tell who he was. He kept walking toward her and it started to freak her out. She started stepping backwards, back towards the ocean. She didn't know who he was and it frightened her.

"Who are you? How long have you been standing there?" That was the only thing she could think to say.

"Not long, don't worry about it. But, how have you been surfing? You looked like a pro out there."

"Since I was a little girl," With that said, Gabriella started walking in the direction of her house. She had figured that he would stay behind and a wave of fear went through her body when he followed her. She stopped in her tracks, but kept staring forward, "Is there something you want?"

"No nothing at all."

Gabriella kept walking, but he kept right on following close behind, "Who are you?" She needed to know. Not because he was cute or anything, which he was, but only because he was scaring her and maybe if something happened she could call 911 and give them a name.

"Call me Troy." He held out his hand to shake hers.

"Troy, who…?"

"Bolton, Troy Bolton."

She reached out her hand and allowed hers to meet the warmth of his. It was a rather awkward moment for both of them, but that didn't matter much. Once their hands separated Troy spoke up, breaking the awkward silence between them, "Your hands are freezing."

"Yeah, well…See ya." Gabriella turned around again and started walking towards her house, but he still kept on following, "What do you want?"

"I was just really impressed by all that surfing."

"Alright, well you said it. You don't need to say anymore. Goodbye."

Gabriella walked away again. Hoping and praying that he wouldn't follow this time. He didn't, but she knew that he was still staring at her. She knew since he heard him call out to her, "Hey! I never got you name!"

"Happy New Year," Gabriella shouted with a wave of her hand, without turning around. She wasn't about to give up her name or anything else to a complete stranger. She just kept on walking, she only looked back when she got to her porch and he was gone. _Thank God. _She walked into her house only to find her mother there, waiting for her to talk.

"Start explaining."

"What, mom? Explain what? I went surfing; you know I never get hurt." Gabriella starting climbing the stairs to her room, she had fifteen minutes to take a shower, do her hair, and get dressed. _Okay, maybe surfing wasn't the best idea, but I don't care._

"Yes, but you could. You never know and that's not what I was talking about."

Gabriella froze in her tracks. She knew exactly what her mother was talking about.

"You went you there to meet up with a boy didn't you?"

_What on earth?_ "Mom, are you kidding me? I don't even know who that was!"

"You talked to a stranger who was a boy?"

"Mom, don't ride me about this, not now. I didn't give him my name, I didn't tell him anything personal, so just forget about it. I need to get ready."

Gabriella nearly ran up the stairs and into the bathroom. She stripped off her clothes and hopped into the shower. This is the place that Gabriella did most of her singing, either that or in her room past midnight. She would often sing the most random of songs in the world; it was usually a song that just came to her mind, or had something to do with what she was going through. She started to sing as she was shaving her legs.

_Oh, I could hide 'neath the wings of the bluebird as she sings_

_The 6 o'clock alarm would never ring_

_But, it rings and I rise, wipe the sleep out of my eyes_

_The tears of yesterday don't mean a thing_

_Cheer up, sleepy Jean_

_Oh, what can it mean?_

_To a daydream believer and the homecoming queen? _

She moved to washing her hair, moving the silky soap through her long, black ebony hair.

_You once thought of me as a white knight on a steed_

_Now you know how happy I can be_

_And our good times start to end without dollar one to spend_

_But, how much, darling, do we really need?_

Gabriella now turned off the shower and grabbed her towel. It was probably the fastest shower she had ever taken, yet she kept right on singing even without the water rippling down her body.

_Cheer up, sleepy Jean_

_Oh, what can it mean?_

_To a daydream believer and the homecoming queen? _

Gabriella looked at her reflection in the mirror as she finished off the song, her white towel wrapped around her body, _Homecoming Queen…yeah right. _She walked into her room, dried herself off and swept her hair in a half up, half down look. She spent so much time alone; she had taught herself to do many things, including her own hair. She dressed herself in the white long sleeved shirt and light blue jeans that she had picked out to wear to the party, with the matching 5 inch heel boots and white scarf as an accessory. Gabriella wasn't one for fashion, she never cared what she wore, she hardly ever wore make up either, but for an occasion like this, she figured it would be good thing. She looked at her reflection once again and started humming the song _Reflection _from Mulan. It would probably come off as random to anyone else, but it can naturally to her.

_Who is that girl I see _

_Staring straight back at me?_

_Why is my reflection someone I don't know?_

_Somehow, I can not hide who I am_

_Though I've tried_

_When will my reflection show who I am inside?_

_When will my reflection show who…_

"GABI, STOP SINGING TO YOURSELF! WE'RE RUNNING LATE! HURRY UP!"

"I'M COMING," Gabriella grabbed her clutch and ran out the door. She didn't want to go to this party, but one of her pet peeves was being late. And she wasn't about to make everybody late, "Sorry, guys, I got held up." She said as the got downstairs.

"Yeah, you were hypnotized by your own voice." Madison sternly said with no amount of joke in her voice. It hurt Gabriella to hear her sister say that.

"Well, tell me how you really feel."

"Okay, girls," their mother cut in, "let's not do this now. Get in the car, both of you."

The car ride was a half an hour. When the family arrived, the party had only just begun. They all walked in to a house full of people holding up glasses of Champaign, wearing funny glasses. People kissing, friends greeting each other and the rest were eating like pigs.

"Gabi!" Her friend Taylor Mckessie surprised Gabriella by hugging her from behind the back a screeching in her ear

"Taylor, you scared me to death!" She said as she pulled Taylor in for a hug.

"Sorry about that. Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year to you too," The broke the hug and started walking through the large crowd of people, "So, how have you been? I haven't talked to you all of break. How was New York?"

"It was great; I wish you could've come with us."

Taylor had been Gabriella's best friend since kindergarten, she had just returned from a trip to New York with her parents. Why she didn't stay there to watch the ball drop, Gabriella never quite understood.

"Oh, I know Taylor, but I've couldn't leave the waves of Albuquerque."

Taylor looked at her friend with a surprised expression, "You went surfing in this weather?"

"Yeah, is there a problem with that?"

"Well, I don't really want to see my bff get sick and die."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Your exaggerating, Taylor. You know that's one of your worst habits."

"Did I ever tell you that the thing that always scares about surfing is trying to get back up to the surface when waves are crashing down on you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, when you fall of your board and you forget which way is up, you know, to the surface."

Gabriella laughed, "You just swim towards the light."

"But, in night surfing there is no light."

Gabriella was about to respond when someone inside screamed, "It's the YMCA everybody!"

"Come on, Gabi!" Taylor pulled her friend into the living room right as the song started and everyone started dancing.

"Tay, you know I really hate this dance."

"How can you hate the YMCA? It's a classic."

Everyone started dancing around and doing those crazy hand motions. In fact, Taylor started doing them for Gabriella. She'd lift up her hands and put them into the hand motions for her. Gabriella got fed up with that and decided to do the motions herself.

_Y-M-C-A_

_Its fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A_

_They have everything that you need to enjoy_

_You can hang out with all the boys…_

_Y-M-C-A_

_Its fun to stay that the Y-M-C-A_

For the first time in her life Gabriella actually started having fun doing the little dance to the song. She ended up doing the Macarena as well. She had never enjoyed the Macarena either. Yet, today she was.

"They ball is dropping everyone!"

Everybody ran inside, squishing together with their glasses of Champaign or Apple Cider if you were a kid and watch the ball drop. They all started counting down together…

"10! 9! 8!..."

Danielle ran up to her older sister and Gabriella picked her up, a small smile on her face as she watched and counted the final seconds.

"4! 3! 2! 1!"

_Celebrate, good times, c'mon! _That song that seemed to be a tradition at New Years started playing and was barely audible through the loudness of the crowd both on the TV and in the house.

Everyone started screaming, kissing, drinking and going down right crazy. Gabriella lifted Danielle in the air. Taylor hugged her best friend; Hunter twirled Madison around and messed up Gabriella's hair. Chloe ran up to her parents and started laughing.

"Happy New Year, Everyone!" The TV announcer said.

Gabriella looked around, happy to be where she was at the moment, _What will this New Year bring? _Was all she could think. She had no idea what was in store for her this year.

**Hope you guys liked it! I spent a lot of time on this chapter.**

**Okay, I know that **_**Daydream Believer**_** was probably the most random song to have her sing in the shower, but I had it stuck in my head at the time I wrote that scene so, I just figured I'd put it in. REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

Going back to school after any vacation is like walking from a dream and into a nightmare. In just one day, everything gets thrown in your face again: homework, stress, work load, boys, girls…..it's difficult as anyone can imagine. That's why Gabriella was late for school on the day back, it was her first time ever being late and she hated it, even if it was school. Gabriella walked into homeroom alone, it was so embarrassing. All eyes were upon her as if she were giving and oral report in front of the class. She didn't like one second of it. Ms. Darbus was no held either. She only started ranting on the importance of being on time for class.

Ms. Darbus may have been Gabriella's homeroom teacher, but she was also the head of the theater department and Gabriella, along with many other students in her homeroom, was not into theater whatsoever. Gabriella took her seat in the back of the room as usual and listened as Ms. Darbus went on and on about a topic Gabriella wasn't even familiar with. In other words, it was a long period. In fact, homeroom always was a LONG period for everyone in the class. Except for Sharpay Evans and her twin brother Ryan, but they were a whole different story.

"Why were you late," Taylor asked when the bell finally rang.

"You would know, the usual having to get up after vacation." Gabriella replied.

"But, everyone else made it and you hate being late."

"Yeah, I put a black mark on my record, but I can handle it. I've got to get to Chemistry; I'll see you at lunch alright?"

"See you then." Taylor said and turned around, walking in the other direction.

Gabriella kept walking in the direction of her destination of her next class. She was humming, she wasn't sure what….

"Remember me?"

That voice. She remembered it quite well. She turned around and he was standing directly in front of her. She didn't know he went to her school. _Of course, how could I not know? Troy Bolton…captain of the basketball team, yet a sweetheart as many girls called him. _"Troy Bolton, yes of course I remember you. How could I forget?"

"I didn't think you would."

"Well, you gave me quite a scare the night," Gabriella started heading in the direction of her Chemistry class again, knowing the he would most likely follow along like he did New Years Eve and he did.

"I'm sorry about that. I did mean any harm, honest."

"It's alright. I had forgotten that you went to my school."

"I didn't even know that you went to East High until you walked by in the hallway." Troy said with a nervous laugh, "Which reminds me, I never got your name."

"Well, I wasn't about to give up my name to someone I had just met."

"You know me now, don't you?"

Gabriella stopped in front of her next class and turned around to face him once again, "Yeah, I guess I do." She looked him in the eyes and held out her hand the way he had done to her that night, "I'm Gabriella Montez."

They shook hands and looked into each others eyes. For a reason she couldn't understand Gabriella started humming "Love is a Battlefield." She hadn't realized it until he spoke up, breaking the silence, "Nice meeting you Gabriella."

She smiled and watched as he walked into her chemistry class, "You're in this class?"

"Yeah, why?"

"This is the class I have right now." Gabriella was slightly stunned. Why hadn't she recognized him on the beach?

"Really?" Gabriella nodded, "That's funny, I've never seen you before."

"I find that odd as well."

They stared at each other for a good minute or so, each with a strange expression on their face, not even being moved by their classmates who were trying to get through the door. _RIIIING!_ The bell rang, making both of them jump out of their trance.

"I'll talk to you later," Troy said before walking to his seat.

"Yeah, later," Gabriella watched him sit down before walking to her seat, not even realizing that she was singing softly,

_We are strong_

_No one can tell us we're wrong_

_Searching our hearts for so long_

_Both of us knowing_

_Love is a battlefield_

Gabriella, finally realizing what she was singing, blushed and sat down, _where did that come from? I just met the boy for God's sake!_

The rest of the day was slow and uneventful, nothing went wrong, and nothing happened. A typical day at East High, pretty boring, huh? Gabriella was used to it though. After this, she would walk home, be home alone for 6 hours doing nothing. Yep, it was defiantly a typical day.

Gabriella started walking home, not even bothering to talk to Taylor let alone Troy. Home was about 5 miles away. She didn't walk to school in the morning, Madison would drop everyone off, but she had practice for a dance recital coming up, Chloe had choir practice, Hunter was either at softball practice or hanging with his girlfriend, there was no way you could tell with him, and Danielle wouldn't get home until her parents were off of work. Gabriella parents owned a business and they both worked long hours. Gabriella was so deep in her thoughts; she didn't realize a car following beside her until it pulled up in front of her, blocking her path.

"Hey, gorgeous."

Okay. That was not a voice that was familiar to her. She looked up to see a…punk, I guess is what you could call him, he was playing his music ultra loud and she didn't even want to know what he was wearing. So, she decided to pay no attention to him. But, she started to when he got out of the car, along with three other friends and started walking towards her.

"What's your name?" He asked her, walking closer to her. Gabriella would have run had it not been for the other boys who had blocked her in all directions.

"Please move." Gabriella said quietly, looking down.

"Answer my question?" His eyes were threatening; Gabriella refused to look into them, until she felt his course hand grab her chin between his fingers and forced her to look at him. It was the most disgusting feeling to her, but she still refused to look at him, keeping her eyes closed.

"What question?" Gabriella replied as bravely as she could, but she hadn't expected his hand to come in contact with her cheek. The stinging feeling stayed for what felt like forever.

"Looks like we got ourselves a hard one, boys." They all laughed.

Her eyes snapped open at that comment, "What's that supposed to mean?" She said, but neither of them answered, they started pulling as her hair, touching her in places that she wanted to save for someone else in some other place at some other time. She wanted to throw up.

The guy that she had originally seen started pulling at her jeans, unbuttoning them and pulling down the zipper. He started stroking her through her light pink underwear. She was about to scream when a hand covered her mouth and the boys hand moved into the panties and entered one finger, breaking the wall that made her pure, the only thing that she wanted to save. Gabriella shrieked, shuddering, knowing what he was going after. Not only was someone's hand over her mouth so no one could hear her, but her hands were held firmly behind her by the other two. The guys' finger was now pumping in and out of her, the pain was unbearable. She needed to get free, but they were all too strong.

The guy grabbed her left breast and pulled his 'partners' hand off of her mouth. Gabriella kept her eyes on his and he started leaning. She miraculously managed to get her hands free and slap him across the face, "How's it feel?"

Gabriella took off, running. She had only gotten a few feet ahead of them before they grabbed her. They pulled by the arm, she heard a load _POP_, a surge of pain ran up her arm. They had pullen her arm out of her socket. They started mocking her, teasing her, things that she wanted to leave in the past. One of them started feeling her up, then picked her up bridal style, though it wasn't very as "wedding day glamorous" as it would be on the actual wedding day. It was more like he was picking up a dead body.

She punched him in the face and he dropped her, she fell to the hard concrete, landing on the arm that was dislocated. Gabriella yelped out in pain. She had never felt such pain in her life. She got up as fast as she could and ran again, but they stopped her once more. They surrounded her, not giving her any place to sneak out of. Everything seemed to start moving in slow motion, either that or Gabriella was loosing consciousness from the pain. She started feeling woozy and couldn't quite see straight. She couldn't pass out; she couldn't let them take her. She was stronger then that. They all started slapping her, punching her, feeling her up and down, stripping, pretty much anything you could think of. They got far enough that they managed for get her jeans off. Gabriella found herself falling to the ground, screaming, raising her hands in the air. Praying.

She wasn't sure how long it had been, but before she could comprehend what was happening, the men were being pulled off of her and beaten. All she remembered was feeling herself relax and laying down on the concrete trying to catch her breath. She heard a young boy's voice, but she couldn't tell who it was, she saw his body form, but she couldn't make out who it was. He leaned down in front of her, she saw his eyes, wait…she knew those eyes. Was it possible? No, it couldn't be. How was he here? Where had he come from? She had to be dreaming.

"Are you okay?"

His voice seemed distant. All she could hear was the sound of his breath and the rushing of the air. She felt him being pulled off of her and she watched him fall back to the ground. She saw him getting the wind knocked out of him; blood was oozing out of this mouth. With all the strength Gabriella had left in her, she crawled carefully to her feet, trying to forget about the pain in her arm. She jumped onto the guy who was tackling Troy and that was the last piece of energy she had. She fell back to the ground and laid there unable to move, unable to make a sound, watching the fight happen in front of her.

After a few more punches had been swung and some noses had been broken, Troy was able to get the four men to leave. Leaning down next to Gabriella he lightly stroked her hair, "You okay?"

"There goes a brand new shirt."

Gabriella saw a small smirk appear on his face and he chuckle ever so slightly. But, it was true. She had just gotten the shirt for Christmas, she had never worn it and now it was all battered and torn up. Of course, she was completely oblivious to the fact that she wasn't wearing any pants. This meant that Troy was seeing all of her bare legs.

"I'll get you home." Troy said comfortingly and picked Gabriella up bridal style, but this time, it was a little bit more dreamy for her then the last time it happened. Troy gently put her in his truck, which was only parked about two miles away.

"How do you get here?" Gabriella asked as she made herself comfortable and he strapped her in with the seatbelt.

"I saw what was happening and I noticed it was you."

Gabriella starred at him as they drove off, "You could have gotten killed."

"I know."

They both looked at each other, awkwardness building between them, making the car ever so slightly stuffy, "Music anyone?" Gabriella asked, breaking the silence and not allowing him to answer. She turned on the radio.

_But, if we get much closer I could loose control_

_And if your heart surrenders you'll need me to hold!_

_Oh yeah!_

_No one can tell us we're wrong._

Gabriella switched to a different station, trying not to blush.

_How can I not love you?_

_What do I tell my heart?_

_When do I not want you here in my arms?_

_How does one waltz away from -_

Gabriella changed the station again.

_Can't live_

_If livin' is without you_

_Can't live_

_I can't give anymore_

_Can't…_

"Alright, that's enough of that," Gabriella turned off the radio, her cheeks turning bright red, hoping that Troy wouldn't see it.

The car ride was silent and awkward. There was absolutely nothing to talk about. Gabriella rested her elbow on the windowsill and started sniffling. She tried her best not to let it be known, but Troy heard it anyway.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Troy put his hand on Gabriella thigh, which made her blush even more then before.

"It's just that…I honestly can't believe that really happened. If you hadn't been there…I don't know what would have happened."

Troy put his arm over Gabriella's shoulder and pulled her closer, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder, "You probably would have been knocked out and only God would know where you would be right now."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

They pulled up to the beach that they had first met, "I figured you lived close this beach, considering you walked."

"Yep."

"I'll let you out right here." Troy said, right as he pulled up to the sand and unlocked the door. Gabriella opened the car door, "Thank you again, for saving me."

"Of course."

Gabriella stepped out of the car and closed the door. Troy was going to drive off again, "Wait!" Gabriella yelled at the moving car and ran up to it, going over to Troy's window, "Could you please walk me to the porch?"

Troy only stared at her, his blue eyes connecting with her dark brown ones, "I'm just afraid and I probably will be for a few weeks."

"Yeah, of course."

Troy nearly leaped out of the car and started walking with her. Only looks were shared between the two, no conversations were started, no words were spoken, "Thank you," Gabriella said quietly when they reached the front door of her house, "for everything."

"My pleasure."

Gabriella pulled her house key out of her bag. It was a miracle that she had even held onto it considering what she had been through. She slipped the key into the keyhole and starting turning the knob, but Troy grabbed her hand. They stared at each other for a good minute or so, until Gabriella broke the silence, "You should get going."

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow." Troy replied, walking away.

Gabriella didn't respond, she only watched as he walked away, back to his car. As he drove away, he waved to her. She waved back, turned around, and stepped into her house.

**Okay, it's all going to get a little bit more dramatic and heartbreaking. But, it's based on a true story so there's not much I can do about it.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Sorry for the wait! I've been cramming in work for the end of the school year. I hope you guys like this chapter. I'll be honest with you, I'm not very happy with the way it turned out. It may bore you guys to death. But, it will get better…I promise! It's basically just Gabi typing her thoughts.**

_What you want_

_Baby, I got it_

_What you need_

_You know I got it_

_All I'm asking_

_Is for a little respect when you get home_

_Hey, baby_

_When you get home _

_Just a little bit, _

_Mister_

Gabriella had the most beautiful voice and it was completely common of her to sing her little heart out whenever she was anywhere alone; including her room at night, when she thought everyone had gone to bed. Maybe that was why she managed to get sick so often. She never knew how many people stayed up just to hear her singing through the walls. This particular night, everyone happened to be listening. Sometimes Madison even recorded the angelic voice that echoed the halls, but she never dared show it to her friends, knowing that her sister didn't want people to know she had this voice. Something Madison never understood. Hunter never actually admired beauty, but he loved the sound of his sisters' vocalizations. The parents of these four children were the proudest of them all, but they refused to believe that Gabriella would hold in this talent forever.

There were only a few people who had actually heard Gabriella sing, but she had sworn them to secrecy. She didn't think that she was a good as everybody said she was, or as Taylor said the first time she heard her, "That was…beyond good! That was amazing! I've never heard someone sing that well. You should try out for _American Idol_. Honest!"

Gabriella never wanted anyone to know and no one ever understood why. It could be because she was just too shy, or I might have been because she didn't believe in herself and refused to believe in herself. No one ever knew.

_R – E – S – P – E – C – T_

_Found out what it means to me_

_R – E – S – P – E – C – T_

_Take care, TCB_

_No_

_A little respect_

_No_

_A little respect, gonna say it__one more time__…_

Gabriella never knew that everyone was listening at night. She would be red-face embarrassed if she ever found out and most likely would never sing alone in her room again and her family knew that, which is why they never told her.

_You would not believe what happened to me today! I don't even think I want to describe for fear of remembering it all to well. I want to forget it, but I can't bring myself to…_

Gabriella would never forget the incident of that day, but she would never tell anybody either. She wasn't about to notify the police, which is probably the first thing any girl would do. She didn't believe in 'jail,' or execution.

_Jail is more appropriate for someone who has committed a crime, but execution or a lifetime in a jail, a LIFETIME...what was that all about? Execution a.k.a death has been going on since __the __Middle Ages__and I don't think anyone deserves it, nor a lifetime of being locked up and shut away from the world. Life is something that everyone deserves something everyone should have a right to and being locked up for half of it doesn't help it in anyway. And what of execution? Taking someone's life before it's their time? What is with that? Death doesn't solve anything...it only brings more pain into somebody else's life. And the people who kill them are technically murderer's right? Right? If they don't feel bad that they killed someone then why are they even considered human? Anyone who kills and doesn't feel guilty is just an asshole! I mean, they could be killing a person LONG before it's there time to die and whether they committed a crime, that person still had the right to live, the right to make a difference, the right to a life. Its like "__Romeo and Juliet__" in a way, Tybalt killed Mercutio and Romeo killed Tybalt. Mercutio and Tybalt both met their end on that same fateful day, probably years before it was time for their death. So, who, in that fight deserves to live? They all do. I guess that's what hatred does to somebody…_

This was something that Gabriella did alone in her room whilst she singed at the top of her lungs. She would type the most random documents on her computer for her own pleasure. These documents would be about life in general and really anything else that came to mind. It was almost like an online journal to her, only she didn't do it daily.

_I guess God has a plan for everyone and if that plan involves death before time...but, if God has a plan for everyone, wouldn't being murdered be considered your time for death? And if you're going to die anyway, what's the point of living? Why does God give you the chance to live when it's all going to end sooner or later? Hopefully later for most people…_

Gabriella had always been one for asking questions. In fact, when she was young, her family used to call her "Curious One" or "Curious" for short. She had always hated that nickname.

_I'm rambling again. Sorry...Wait, what am I apologizing to a computer? Well, I guess everyone does it sometime in there life. So, as I was saying…ummm…darn it! I lost my train of thought! UGH! Don't you hate it when that happens? What am I even doing? I'm writing in a stupid computer journal while singing at the top of my lungs. Talk about embarrassing if anybody walked in right now Anyway, my day was alright, except for the one little thing at the end. My god, if Troy hadn't been there…I don't know what I would have done. I'd probably be pregnant right now. Well, maybe in a few days I would. Thank God, for him! Danielle and Chloe are at a sleepover, I have no clue why, I think Hunter is getting sick, Maddie is being a bitch again. We just finished ANOTHER argument. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love her to death, she, just drives me up a wall with frostbite sometimes. My parents are still…my parents. I mean, who else would they be? I just noticed that it's really quiet right now, except for me singing. It's kind of freaky. _

_Just as Gabriella finished typing that phrase, the phone rang, breaking the silence of the house. Gabriella nearly jumped out of her seat. Have I ever mentioned that she was quite skittish? _

_And now the phone is ringing. Wait…WHO THE HELL IS CALLING AT 3 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING! THAT IS JUST NOT RIGHT! CAN'T ANYBODY GET ANY SLEEP IN THIS HOUSE! *sigh* it better not be Aunt Clara again. She always and I mean ALWAYS forgets about the time difference. _

_The phone stopped it's obnoxious sound of multiple dings, bringing the silence back. _

_I guess someone answered. As I was saying…_

_A loud screech echoed through the house, sending chills down Gabriella's spine. Was that her mom? What could she be so ecstatic about at this time of night? And it wasn't a happy scream, but rather the type when you're watching a horror movie and the actor is going to open a closet door and you know something is in there, but they open it anyway and you scream even though you knew what was going to happen. Yep, that's pretty much the sound her mother was making._

_And my mom is screaming into the phone. It doesn't sound good. Maybe she's just yelling at Aunt Clara to stop calling so late at night. Maybe it's just a…_

_"Gabi, get your shoes on!" Gabriella's mother came running into her room and threw a pair of shoes at her. They weren't even matching. It was a heel and a slipper._

_Her mother was running through every bedroom, knocking on every bedroom door, telling everyone to get dressed._

_"Mom? Mom, what's going on?" Gabriella put on her slippers and ran up to her mother, who was already halfway out the front door. _

_"We have to get to the hospital! Now!"_

_Hospital? What was happening? Nobody they knew was pregnant, no one was dying, no one in a coma, nobody injured. What the hell was going on? _

_"Mom, you're scaring me," Gabriella said as everyone came downstairs in their pajamas and a pair of random shoes just thrown onto their feet._

_"Everyone, get in the car."_

_"Honey, what's happening?" Gabriella's dad walked to stand beside his wife and there, she broke down_

_…in his arms…_

_…tears running down her face…_

_…gripping onto her husbands clothing…_

_What was happening?_

_Dad took control of the group, "Well, you heard your mother. Get in the car…NOW!"_

_Madison and Hunter nearly ran out the door, for fear of being punished, their father walked slowly out, his sobbing wife in his arms. Gabriella stood at the door. Looking out as everyone was loading into the car. She walked out of the house and into the moonlit night, closing the giant, brown front door behind her. Gabriella looked up to the stars shining about her, '__God, whatever has happened…let it be done. We place it in your hands.' _

_Little did she know that, after that night, it would be harder to say that prayer ever again, even if it was hard to say it now._

_**I'm just going to warn all my fans that this is going to get a little bit more heartbreaking and intense from here. But, it's a true story so there's not much I can do about it. Tell me what you guys think about Gabi's online journal thing. I might start doing it more often. REVIEW! Please. **_


	5. Chapter 5

**HEY! Sorry for the EXTREMELY LONG wait! I had finals and couldn't bomb them! I'm sorry that this chapter is a bit short, but I thought it was a good place to end it. **

How could this happen to her? How could God allow this to happen to her just when everything seemed to be working out? Her heart was now busted in two. It was like someone had taken a knife and stabbed thousands of holes into her skin and they were not able to heal. In fact, they weren't. They were never going to heal. Nothing could ever mend the pain in her heart from what happened. Gabriella sat in the hallway of the hospital unable to feel, unable to think…unable to pray. Do you know that feeling when something so terrible happened and it brings you beyond tears? That's what she was feeling.

_How could this happen to me? My family? _Gabriella thought. She was curled up on the couch. _How could someone hurt her? How could anyone kill and innocent child? _Gabriella lifted her head toward the ceiling and called out in a barely audible whisper, "What does it mean? Why? How? She was my sister, my littlest sister. You barely let life take a hold of her. She's here for a little bit and then you just…take her away from us? Why?" Gabriella wrapped her thin arms around her slender torso and let the tears run down her face. The tears she had been holding in for nearly 6 hours, the tears that she once told herself she wouldn't dare let fall. But, she let them and cried out in pain and heartache. Gabriella stayed, curled up in on the in the corner on the hard floor of the hospital.

She was so caught up in her thought and her crying that she jumped when she felt two arms come around her and give her a heartwarming hug. But, even as warm as it was, it couldn't break the ice that had been placed coldly around her heart.

"Gabriella," She heard her brothers' voice softly behind her, "She's going. They want you to come and say goodbye to her."

Gabriella stayed silent. She wanted to say goodbye, but she couldn't bring herself to. It was too painful, "I'll stay out here. I will not see her lying there, dying, right before my very eyes."

"Gabi., I will not allow you to stay out here while she is in there, needing you."

"And how do you know she needs me?"

"You are her older sister. Of course she is going to need you."

"I will not go." Gabriella cried, pulling herself out of her brother's grasp, "I'm not going to endure it. I will not go and watch her leave this earth forever! This family!" She snapped at Hunter.

"Gabriella, why will you not go and see your own sister, your own blood and flesh…go and say GOODBYE!" Hunter started pulling her towards the room in her little sister was.

"I will not!" Gabriella slipped her arm out of his hand, "I've never been to ask much of you, but could you just let me be? Tell Danielle I love her." She turned the other direction and started walking to the elevator.

Hunter ran and grabbed her by the arm again, "Damnit Gabriella, I've 'let you be' for your whole life! We've all let you stay up in your room doing nothing but reading, writing, and singing! We don't even know you anymore Gabi. We don't see you enough; we don't feel like you're a part of this family! You're alone all day long! Don't you think you've been alone quite enough!"

"I will not watch it. I will not endure the sight of my little sister lying on her death bed! I won't."

"Then you're not a part of this family. If you will not say goodbye to your sister, you don't even care." Hunter said, almost monotone in a way.

Gabriella stared at him, surprised at what he had just told her. How could he even think that she didn't care about her sister? About her family?

Gabriella looked her little brother sternly in the eye, "Don't you…ever…say that…to my face again." Gabriella said breathless, not only from the tears, but also from the anger that was building up inside of her, "Do you understand me, little brother? Ever."

Hunter looked at his sister, astonished. It had been a while since she called him that and it hurt as it always had before. When she called him that, it always made him feel small and she was usually being serious every time she used it. He watched her, solemnly, and she boarded the next elevator to go down to the first floor. The last image of her was her head slowly dropping as she held in her tears once again.

_Oh, God. Why was this brought upon this family? _Gabriella thought as she felt herself dip downward in the elevator. _What did we do to have this brought upon us? Why am I even talking to you? In less then a week, you've made me brought such pain and suffering into my life. I was rapped and now my sister is dead. Of course, you already know that. _

The elevator opened and she stepped out, onto the first floor. _Are you even there? Or am I just praying to whatever? God, show me you're there. Give me the slightest proof. I could really use it right now. But, if you are there…Let Danielle be welcomed, let her be brought to you, give a hug for me. _

Gabriella stopped short, right in front of the large revolving door before her. People went around her, needing to get out of the building._ I told you before, God, that I would place this in your hands. Why did I ever do that when you are even not there? God, I can't do this anymore. Not when I can't feel you around. Tell Danielle 'hi' for me._ With that said to God, Gabriella's heart became cold and she walked slowly out of the hospital and into the big, cruel world that she called home. 

This was the night that changed her life, the night that turned her world upside down. Her little sister was dead and she hadn't even said a word to Danielle, she hadn't said goodbye, something that she would regret for the rest of her life.


End file.
